Island



(NoModeL) G. A. POTTER LOOKING GEAR FOR WINDLASSES.

Pate ted Oct. 18, 188

wmm 5 52mm.

lhvrrnn STATES P TENT Urrtcn.

CHARLES A. POTTER, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOE TO THE AMERICAN SHIP XVINDLASS COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

LOCKING-GEAR FOR WINDLASSES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 3'71,853, dated. @etober 18, 1887.

Application filed Dtcembcr 24, 1586. Serial No. 222,520. (No model.)

To 'aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES A. POTTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Providence, in the county of Providence and 5 State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Locking- Gear for YVindlasses; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable oth- I' ers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to certain new improvements in locking-gear for windlasses, the same consisting, essentially, in the cornbination, with a loosely-mounted wildcat having a notched rim, of a driving-head having one or more locking-keys radially arranged therein, and a loosely-mounted disk or ring having one or more cam-shaped or eccentric projections formed on its inner face, adapted to engage and actuate said lockingkeys, all as will be more fully hereinafter set forth and claimed.

The object of my invcntion is to simplify the construction of ships windlasscs, more particularly the portion adapted to lock and unlock the wild-cat, the improved device being of the positive type, as contradistin' guished from a friction-lock, which latter necessarily involves the employment of a greater number of working parts.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the improvement hereinafter claimed, Figure 1 thereof representing a reduced view (in elevation) of a pump-brake Windlass provided with my improved locking-gear. Fig.2 is an 40 enlarged longitudinal sectional view taken through the center of the port wild-cat, drivinghead, die, the wild-cat (on chain-wheel) being locked, as in taking in the cable. Fig. 2% is a partial sectional view showing the 5 relative position of the parts with the key withdrawn from the wildcat, the latter then being adapted to freely revolve upon the shaft, as in paying out the cable. Fig. 3 is an end viewcorresponding to Fig. 2, a portion of the driving-head, 810., being broken away to show the locking-key. Fig. 4 is a plan View of the same. Fig. 5 is an end view of the locking disk or ring,showing an eccentricallyarranged projection formed on its face. Fig.

6 is a detached perspective view of the locking or block key adapted to engage said eccentric projection, and Figs. 7 and 8 represent side views of the blockkey provided with a flat spring. I

The following description relates more particularly to the construction of the specific de vice represented in the drawings.

WV in the drawings designates the wild-cat as a whole, loosely mounted on the Windlassshafts, the same having lugs Z, adapted to engage the chain-cable, and a circumferential groove, 1, adapted to receive a brake-band, b, as usual. The overhanging rim E (in which is formed said groove g) is further extended and provided withaseries of (preferably) elongated openings, F, cut into the face thereof, adapted to receive about one-half the upper portion of the locking-key.

H indicates the driving-head, the same being rigidly secured to the Windlass-shaft and adjacent to the wildcat, as usual. The outer portion of the driving-head is offset, (see Fig. 2%,) thereby permitting the said extended portion of the wild-cats rim to revolve therein. The outer diameters of the rim E and the head H are substantially the same. As drawn, there are two oppositely-located pockets or openings, F, formed in the rim of the drivinghead, which communicatowith the space in closed by the two vertical ribs a. (See Figs. 2 and 3.) The continuity of the head opposite the pocket F is maintained by the metal tiesp.

R indicates the operatingdisk or lookingring, the same being bored out, as at h to loosely fit the turned portion h of the drivingheads hub, a collar, 12, being secured to the windlassshaft, to prevent longitudinal movement of theloosely-mounted locking-ring. To the periphery of the locking-ring are secured 5 a number of operating-handles, a", intermediate of which, if desired, are formed radial sockets m, adapted to receive alever, l. The

latter is used when greater purchase or lever age is required to withdraw the locking-key. Ico Upon the front face of the disk or ring Rand near the rim, are formed oppositely-arranged I I per ends of the locking-keys.

eccentric-shaped ribs or projections a, each of which extends about half-way around the disk, the amount of eccentricity or throw thereof being substantially equal to the thickness of the rim E of the wild-cat. Said ribs are adapted to simultaneously operate two locking-keys. In lieu of the eccentric rib, the latter may be cam-shaped.

A indicates the locking-key, the same being nearly or quite square in crosssection and having the two ears 0 0 Fig. 6, formed on its lower portion, the adjacent faces of which are slightly rounded. The space 0 between the said ears is adapted to freely receive a rib, c, of the locking-ring, before described.

Assuming, now, a ships Windlass to beprovided with my improved locking-gear, the operation of withdrawing the key from the loosely-mounted wild-cat would be as follows: Referring to Figs. 2, 3, and 4 of the drawings, the several parts are indicated in thelocked position the same corresponding to that in taking in the chain or hoisting the anchor, 850. Now, as drawn, upon rotating the looselymounted operating-disk R in the arrow direction to its limit by means of the handles 1r, both keys A are simultaneously drawn down out of the openings F of the wild-cat and wholly into the driving-head, the keys, 850., then appearing as indicated in Fig. 2%,the wildcat thereby being in position to pay out the chain, when desired. Its control is effected by a brake-band, I), as usual; or the windlass may now be used independently of the wildcats, as in warping, hoisting sails, 810., as common to mechanism of this class. In Fig. l brakes b are employed to operate the windlass, as usual. Gipsy ends or heads 6 are secured to the ends of the windlass-shaft,for obvious purposes.

7 The series of'openings F, formed in the face of the rim E of the wild-eat, are elongated for the purpose of more readily receiving the up- A spring, 3, Figs. 7, 8, may be attached to the key A, in order to better retain the latter in position, and at the same time prevent its rattling. For apparent reasons, the locking-ring may be cut through its center and provided with ears 0. The two halves are fast ened together by bolts, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 5.

In many of the locking devices of windlasses heretofore made the same have been so constructed and arranged that the lockingkeys (or shoes, if frictionally connected) are nearly or quite concealed. Such devices are obviously a positive disadvantage.

In a Windlass combining my present invention aperson ata glance may ascertain whether the wild-cat is locked to or disconnected from the drivinghead, thereby enablingthe operator to act promptly when occasions demand immediate action, and possibly preventing confusion and averting the loss of the vessel.

The wild-cat and drivinghead may, without departing from the spirit of the invention,

be constructed and arranged so as to reduce It is evident that one locking-key may be used to connect the wildcat to the head, although I prefer to employ two.

It is further obvious that the'device shown is readily adapted to be combined in other types of windlasses-as, for example, capstan, crank, steam windlasses, &c.

I would not be understood as claiming, broadly, the simultaneous operation of one or more locking-keys by means of the partial rotation of a loosely-mounted disk or ring.

What I do claim is- 1. The combihation,with a loosely mounted wild-cat having an overhanging rim provided with openings or pockets adapted to engage a locking-key, of adriving-head rigidly secured to a drivingshaft, one or more radially-guided locking-keys mounted in said driving-head, and a loosely-mounted ring or disk having means for rotating the same, and, further, having one or more cam-shaped ribs formed on its face adapted to engage and simultaneously operate said locking keys in endwise directions, substantially as hereinbefore set forth.

2. In a windlass, the combination, with a loosely-mounted wild-cat,W, having an overhanging notched rim, E, of the driving-head H, rigidly secured to the Windlass-shaft S, having radial oppositely-located openings F, locking-keys A,loosely mounted in said openings F, each having a space, a, formed in its outer face transversely of the Windlass-shaft, and the loosely-mounted locking disk or ring R, having oppositely-located cam-shaped ribs 0 formed on its face, adapted to engage said locking-keys, and,further, having means for rotating it by hand, substantially as shown, and hereinbefore described.

3. The combination, with a loose wild-cat, a rigidly-secured driving-head, and lockingkeys loosely mounted and guidedin said driving-head, adapted to move endwise and lock the wild-cat thereto, of the loosely-mounted locking disk or ring having an eccentric or cam shaped face engaging said locking-keys to simultaneously operate them by the partial rotation of the disk, substantially as hereinbefore described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES A. POTTER.

ICO 

